Director, Patient Access/Exp

About the role

The Director, Patient Access and Experience provides strategic and operational leadership for all patient access functions across the Department of Radiology, overseeing the radiology call center and patient experience initiatives supporting Columbia Doctors NewYork-Presbyterian Imaging (CDNYPI) and Columbia Doctors NewYork-Presbyterian Advanced Imaging (CNYPAI) joint ventures.

Responsibilities

• Direct oversight and accountability for all radiology call center operations, managing a team of modality-based managers who each own scheduling performance for their assigned imaging service lines.

• Establish and maintain the modality-based management model, ensuring each manager develops subject matter expertise in exam protocols, preparation instructions, insurance/authorization requirements, and clinical workflows for their modality group.

• Set performance standards, service level expectations, and operational targets for scheduling, registration, call handling, abandonment rates, and first-call resolution across all modality teams.

• Monitor and drive access KPIs including third next available appointment (TNAA), wait times, template utilization, scheduling accuracy, no-show rates, and patient throughput.

• Ensure consistent, high-quality customer service across all patient access touchpoints, with modality managers accountable for specialized patient communication and instruction delivery.

• Manage staffing models, cross-training plans, and coverage strategies to ensure adequate call center capacity during peak volumes, staff absences, and new service launches.

• Lead governance and standardization of scheduling templates across all modalities and locations, partnering with modality chiefs, clinical leadership, and site operations directors.

• Oversee continuous evaluation and optimization of access workflows including pre-registration, insurance verification, medical necessity checks, and pre-certification processes.

• Coordinate with modality-based managers to ensure scheduling protocols reflect current exam requirements, contraindication screening, and preparation instructions.

• Own the patient access experience end-to-end, from initial contact through registration and arrival, driving initiatives to reduce friction and improve satisfaction.

• Standardize patient instructions and pre-visit communications across modalities to reduce confusion, no-shows, and delays in care.

• Manage patient experience survey programs (e.g., Press Ganey), analyze results, identify trends across sites and modalities, and implement targeted improvement plans.

• Identify and eliminate barriers to timely scheduling and care delivery through data analysis, patient feedback, and frontline staff input.

• Develop and implement service recovery protocols and escalation pathways for complex scheduling or access issues.

• Use quantitative and qualitative data to drive continuous improvement and present performance reports to departmental leadership.

• Recruit, develop, and performance-manage modality-based call center managers, fostering specialization and accountability within each team.

• Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development for all patient access and call center management staff.

• Foster a culture of accountability, service excellence, continuous learning, and operational rigor.

• Conduct regular performance reviews, set development goals, and manage disciplinary and labor relations activities as needed.

• Ensure appropriate staffing models and succession planning to meet demand across sites and modalities.

• Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting tools to track access performance, patient experience metrics, and call center productivity across modality teams.

• Create monthly and quarterly reports synthesizing quantitative and qualitative data for presentation to senior leadership.

• Establish monitoring systems to identify trends, system issues, and opportunities for proactive process improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education and experience.

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in healthcare operations, patient access, or ambulatory practice management, including at least 3 years in a leadership role managing managers or supervisors.

• Demonstrated experience leading scheduling, call center, or multi-site access operations in a complex healthcare environment.

• Proven track record in workflow redesign, process improvement, and performance management.

• Strong analytical, organizational, and leadership skills with the ability to translate data into actionable operational strategies.

Skills

• Strong analytical, organizational, and leadership skills with the ability to translate data into actionable operational strategies.

Benefits

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training.

Pay

Salary Range: 140,000 – 160,000

Schedule

Standard Work Schedule: Hours Per Week: 35